The business of bringing next generation biosensor diagnostics to vulnerable women

In 2020, a woman dies every two minutes due to pregnancy or childbirth and 95 percent of all maternal deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. This Insight Report explores the potential global market and private and public sector pathways to maximize equitable worldwide access to Smart Pregnancy Tests (SPTs) that are highly accurate, low-cost, and resistant to temperature and humidity.  A market-based approach would enable the SPTs to become commercially viable and incentivize the private sector to continue at scale. This could lead to more sustainable outcomes for women over time. This ground-breaking diagnostic is an outcome of research by Rhodes University Biotechnology Innovation Centre in South Africa that was enabled by UNICEF Office of Innovation.